Identification cards, such as made by Moore Paragon in France since 1987, and such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,077, desirably are constructed in a manner such that a transparent plastic substrate is connected by permanent adhesive to a base stock (bond paper) and a release liner, the base stock and release liner each covering approximately one half of the plastic substrate. The base stock has printing formed on it. By removing the release liner, the end user of the identification card--once the appropriate identification, signature, photo, or the like is provided on the base stock--moves the portion of the transparent plastic substrate previously covered by the release liner over the face of the base stock, thereby covering and protecting it, while still allowing the relevant information on the base stock to be viewed.
There are some times when it is desirable to provide one or more record copies of the identification card for official or other use. In the past, there has been no easy mechanism for effecting that. However, according to the present invention, an identification card intermediate is provided which allows this to be accomplished in a simple and effective manner by providing a multi-part construction overlying the base stock, with one or more record copies readily detachable from the base stock for official or other use.
According to one aspect of the present invention an identification card intermediate is provided which comprises the following elements: A transparent plastic substrate having first and second edges parallel to each other, and third and fourth edges perpendicular to the parallel edges, and having first and second faces. A base stock having first, third, and fourth edges in substantial alignment with the substrate first, third, and fourth edges, respectively, and a second edge; and having first and second faces. Indicia printed on the first face of the base stock. A release liner having second, third, and fourth edges in substantial alignment with the substrate second, third, and fourth edges, respectively, and having first and second faces. An adhesive layer substantially covering the first face of the substrate, and connecting the second face of each of the base stock and the release liner to the substrate. The length of the third and fourth edges of each of the release liner and the base stock being roughly one half the length of the substrate third and fourth edges. And at least one paper layer having first through fourth edges in substantial alignment with the base stock first through fourth layers and removably attached thereto, and transfer means between the at least one paper layer and the base stock for transferring indicia applied to the paper layer to the base stock first face.
Typically, the paper layer and transfer means--which usually comprises a carbon sheet--are attached by glue to the base stock and each other along the first edge of the base stock, and a perforation line (or other line of weakness) is provided adjacent the glue pattern. The perforation line allows detachment of the substrate, base stock and overlying sheets connected by the glue pattern to each other, from the rest of the intermediate. The length of the base stock along the third and fourth edges thereof from the perforation to the release liner is equal to the length of the release liner along the third and fourth edges thereof. Typically, the same preprinted indicia is provided on the one or more overlying paper layers as on the base stock; and, of course, any indicia applied to the paper layers is transferred by the carbon sheets to the base stock, and to any other intermediate paper layers.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of making an identification card intermediate is provided. The method comprises the following steps: (a) Constructing a basic web comprising a transparent plastic substrate with permanent adhesive covering a first face thereof, with a second face thereof free of adhesive, and having a base stock covering a first side thereof connected to the adhesive, and a release liner covering a second side thereof connected to the adhesive, with a longitudinal part line between the base stock and release liner, and indicia printed on the top face of the base stock. (b) Feeding at least one bond sheet web and at least one transfer sheet web into contact with the basic web with a transfer sheet web covering the base stock portion only of the basic web. (c) Connecting the at least one bond sheet web and at least one transfer sheet web to each other and to the basic web so as to provide a multiple part form essentially commensurate in extent with the base stock to form a composite web. And (d) forming a longitudinal line of weakness in the composite web at the base stock adjacent a longitudinal edge thereof remote from the release liner, so that any sheets covering the base stock can be readily removed by detachment along the line of weakness.
Step (c) is typically practiced by applying glue between the webs adjacent the longitudinal edge thereof remote from the release liner, between that longitudinal edge and the longitudinal line of weakness, which line of weakness preferably is a perforation. Also, there may be the further step of automatically printing indicia on the at least one bond sheet web to effect transfer of the indicia onto the top face of the base stock, for example, while the composite web is being driven using tractor holes therein.
Steps (a)-(d) are typically practiced so that the dimension of the base stock perpendicular to the longitudinal line of weakness from the line of weakness to the portion thereof closest to the release liner, is essentially equal to the dimension of the release liner in the dimension perpendicular to the longitudinal line of weakness. Steps (b) and (c) are typically practiced to apply and secure two bond sheet webs and transfer webs over the basic web.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an enhanced identification card intermediate, one allowing the simple production of record copies, and the easy separation and retention thereof. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.